Sorting of differently classified sheets

ABSTRACT

A group of sheets to be sorted into different classifications are provided on their lower edges with upwardly extending slots, the slots on each sheet being differently positioned relative to the front edge of that sheet depending upon the particular classification into which that sheet falls. The sheets are used in conjunction with a sorter housing into which all of the sheets are adapted to be received as a group, that housing being provided with a series of apertures spaced upwardly from its lower edge and located at positions corresponding to the sheet slots for each sheet classification respectively. A sorting element is adapted to extend across the interior of the housing at the locations defined by those apertures. Those sheets not of the desired classification will be raised by that sorting element, whereas those sheets of the desired classification will assume a lower position in the housing, the sorting element being received in the slots formed in the lower portions of those sheets. Thereafter the unselected sheets can be removed from the housing either from above or, preferably, by being slid out from an open end of the housing, the selected sheets of the desired classification being retained in the housing by means of the element-slot interengagement. Thereafter the selected sheets can readily be disengaged from the element and removed from the housing.

United States Patent 1 Baskin [54] SORTING OF DIFFERENTLY CLASSIFIED SHEETS Arnold M. Baskin, 26 Old Orchard Road, North Haven, Conn.

[22] Filed: June 23, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 155,936

[76] Inventor:

873,305 12/1907 Eckart ....209/80.5

Primary ExaminerAllen N. Knowles Attorney-Maxwell James et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A group of sheets to be sorted into different classifica- .tions are provided on their lower edges with upwardly extending slots the slots on each sheet being dif- 1 Mar. 27, 1973 ferently positioned relative to the front edge of that sheet depending upon the particular classification into which that sheet falls. The sheets are used in conjunction with a sorter housing into which all of the sheets are adapted to be received as a group, that housing being provided with a series of apertures spaced upwardly from its lower edge and located at positions corresponding to the sheet slots for each sheet classification respectively. A sorting elementis adapted to extend across the interior of thehousing at the locations defined by those apertures. Those sheets not of the desired classification will be raised by that sorting element, whereas those sheets of the desired classification will assume a lower position in the housing, the sorting element being received in the slots formed in the lower portions of those sheets. Thereafter the unselected sheets can be removed from the housing either from above or, preferably, by being slid out from an open end of the housing, the selected sheets of the desired classification being retained in the housing by means of the element-slot interengagement. Thereafter the selected sheets can readily be disengaged from the element and removed from the housmg.

17 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHARZ'IISB 3,722,675

SHEET 1 or 2 INVENTOR 894w, /fli.

ATTORNEY PATENTEUHARZHQTES ,675

SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR i/V ZD N. Bis/rm ATTORNEY SORTING OF DIFFERENTLY CLASSIFIED SHEETS The present invention relates to an arrangement for the selection from a group of sheets of those sheets which fall into a predetermined classification. It is here specifically disclosed in conjunction with the selection from a group of X-ray films of those X-rays of a desired character, but in its broader aspects the invention is not limited thereto.

There are many instances when it is desired to select from a group of sheets only those falling within a certain predetermined classification. For example, a doctor may have in his files for a' particular patient a relatively large number of X-ray films, some of which may be of one character and others of another character, e.g., some may be kidney X-rays, some may be of the GI series, and some may be of a suspected fracture of one bone or another. Even when all of the X-rays are .of a single type, for example, GI series, it may be desired to segregate or select those X-rays on the basis of when they were taken, so that the doctor, when presented with a particular diagnostic decision, can promptly find the particular X-rays that he wishes to'examine and that they are relevant to his then current consideration. Alternatively, a doctor may have in his possession X- rays from a number of patients, and he may wish to be able to quickly find the X-rays of a particular patient. Whatever the classification or sorting desire, at present the carrying out of the sorting procedure is exceedingly time consuming each individual X-ray film must be held up to the light and examined in order to determine its general type, or else labels must be provided on the films with each label requiring individual observation and selection or rejection, depending upon the particular needs and desires of the physician at that time.

There is an additional problem present in connection with X-ray films. It is sometimes difficult to determine their proper orientation. It may require several seconds of study before it can be determined whether the X-ray is being viewed in the proper orientation. While this is not a particularly significant matter when only a single X-ray need be examined, it becomes quite troublesome and time consuming when a large number of X-rays must be examined and compared, as is often the case in diagnostic procedures.

X-ray films, as used in medical diagnosis, are usually quite large and bulky, and hence handling them is more of a problem than would be the case were they of snapshot size. Moreover, their large size means that they are of considerable weight, and consequently they cannot be as readily manipulated and moved about as postcards, for example. In addition, because of their weight, they require particularly sturdy apparatus for storage and manipulation.

It is recognized that various means have been provided for sorting or classifying data cards of postcard size or smaller in accordance with predetermined criteria. However, the means provided for sorting and classifying such cards, so far as I am' aware, is, largely for the reasons set forth above, inapplicable to the selection of X-ray films in accordance with predetermined classifications, or to the selection of other relatively massive sheets. Consequently, physicians have been required to individually examine each X-ray film and make a mental'judgment with respect to each such film in order to select from a group of such films the particular ones which fall within the desired'category. This leaves the physician less time to study the films, and hence results in a diminution of effective care.

It is a prime object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for sorting and selecting sheets which is simple, sturdy and reliable and which can be used with particular merit in the sorting of X-ray films or other relatively massive sheets.

It is another object of the present invention to devise such a sorting arrangement and structure which can readily be adapted for use with already existing convent'ional X-ray films, or other similar sheets, and which can likewise be incorporated into the initial 'preparation of new sheets before they are used, thereby to make the selection process relatively universally usable for all sheets of a given general type.

It is yet another object of the present invention to devise such a system and apparatus which would lend itself to standardization throughout a given area of endeavor, such as the medical profession.

It is another, and important, object of the present invention to devise a sorting system and apparatus which is of extreme simplicity and inexpensiveness, so that it can be used in the offices of individual medical practitioners as well as in the larger offices of group practice, hospitals and the like.

To these ends, the X-ray films or other sheets are provided along their'bottom edges with slots extending up from those bottom edges. These slots, one or more of. which are provided in each sheet, depending upon the classification requirements in a given case, are differently spaced from the front edge of the sheet, depending upon the particular classification involved. The th us-slotted sheets are designed to be used in conjunction with a sorter-housing having an interior large enough to receive a predetermined number of such sheets as a group and to support the sheets therein. The housing will have a front wall or stop against which the front edges of the sheets are adapted to abut, thereby causing those front sheet edges to register. The housing is provided in one of its side walls with aseries of apertures spaced somewhat above the bottom wall of the housing, the spacing of those apertures from the front wall or stop of the housing corresponding to the spacing of the several slots in the sheets from the front edges of those sheets. A sorting member is provided which is accessible from the outside of the housing and which is adapted to enter a selected one of those apertures and to extend across the interior of the housing. When that element is appropriately positioned in the aperture corresponding to the classification then desired to be operative, all of the sheets of that predetermined classification will have their slots register with that member and they will therefore move down to and be supported on either the member or the bottom wall of the housing. Those sheets not of the predetermined classification, however, will have their bottom edges register with the sorting element, those bottom edges will rest on the element, and those unselected sheets will therefore be raised somewhat above the selected sheets, depending upon the spacing of the element above the bottom wall of the housing. It will then be an easy matter to remove from the housing those sheets which are thus higher than the selected sheets, with the selected sheets remaining in the hous- 3 drawings,in which:

ing. This removal can be done by moving the sortingelernent-raised sheets upwardly, but it is preferred that the rear portion of the housing be open, so that after the selection action has been accomplished the nonselected sheets can be spilled or poured-from the housing merely by tilting the housing, with the selected sheets being retained in the housing by virtue of 'the element-slot interconnection. Thereafter the selected sheets can readily be removed from the housing, particularly if the. housing top is open, simply by lifting them to disengage their slots from the member and then sliding them appropriately out of the housing. Where, as is preferred, .the rear end of the housing is open, it is likewise preferred that the slots in the sheets be inclined upwardly and forwardly toward the front edges of the sheets, so that when the housing is tilted to pour or spill the unselected sheets therefrom via the open rear end of the housing, the sorting element will be reliably interengaged with the corresponding slot in the selected sheet or sheets, thereby ensuring that the selected sheets will remain in the housing and reliably separating the selected sheets from the unselected sheets. I

The housing may be provided with a removable cover for its open rear end and also, ifdesired, for its open top, thereby to ensure that'when a plurality of sheets have been placed in the housing they will remain therein and can even be stored therein, subject to appropriate manipulation thereof when selection of sheets of a particular classification is desired. Moreover, the sorting element may be made captive with the housing, so that it is always ready and available when its use is desired.

To the accomplishment-of the above, and to such other objects as may hereafter appear, the present invention relates to a system and apparatus for the selecting of sheets of different characteristics in accordance with a predetermined coding of those sheets, as'defined in the appended claims, and as described in this specification, taken together with the' accompanying long and fourteen inches high. They are usually more or less opaque, and can only be observed when a bright .light is caused to pass therethrough. Thus when a doc- .FIG. 1 is a three-quarter perspective view of a sorter housing of the present invention with its removable cover applied thereto and with a plurality of sheets to be selected located therein;

I FIG. 2 is a three-quarter perspective exploded view of the sorter housing, its cover, and a plurality of differently classified sheets to be used in conjunction therewith,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the lower right-hand. corner of the sorter housing of FIG. 1, with differently classified sheets being shown therein in broken lines;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary three-quarter perspective view, partially cross-sectioned, of the lower right'hand corner of an alternative embodiment of a sorter housmg. I

As has been indicated above, this invention will be described specifically in conjunction with the sorting and selection of individual X-ray films such as are used in medical practice. These films are in the form of sheets generally designated A, usually of appreciable size and weight. Typical such sheets may be 17 inches tor has a particular X-ray sheet in his hand he cannot tell what it is of, nor even of whom it has taken, unless he places it in a special holder in front of a diffused light or, in some instances for coarse examination, he may hold it up to a ceiling or floor lamp. In either event, the observation and selection necessary in this ordinary fashion is troublesome, tedious, time-consuming, and often inaccurate. The necessity for making a selection of X-ray films in accordance with a particular classification arises very frequently. For example, all of the X-ray films for a given patient may be maintained in a tile for that patient. The doctor may wish to refer to a taken over a period of time. The doctor may wish to examine only the most recent of these X-rays. In' order to determined which of the plurality of X-rays in the file is the most recent the doctor would have to individually pick up each X-ray and examine'the legend thereon, and in particular the date portion of that legend. Again, the selection and classification is tedious and time consuming.

In accordance with the present invention, the in- I dividual sheets A are modified or coded in a particular fashion so as to cooperate with a sorting apparatus which generally comprises a sorter housing B and a sorting element C used in association therewith.

The housing 8 is provided with a bottom wall 2, side walls 4 and 6, and a front wall or stop 8, thereby defining a central opening or space 1.0 of a size such as to receive therein a plurality or group of sheets A such as X-ray films. In the preferred form here specifically disclosed, the housing B is provided with an open rearend 12 and with an open top 14. It is likewise provided with a removable cover 16 which is telescopable over the rear end portion of the housing B, as by having the housing side walls 4 and 6 thinned at those areas, as indicated by the reference numerals 4' and 6. The cover 16 is provided with an end wall 18 adapted to close the open rear end 12 of the housing 4 and with a top wall 20 adapted to at least partially close the open top 14 of the housing B. The width of the space 10 inside the housing B is far greater than the thickness of the individual sheets A to be used therewith, so that a relatively large group of such sheets can be received therein side by side. The length of the side walls 4 and 6 The sheets A are adapted to be coded in accordance with any predetermined classification system by means of slots 22 extending up from the lower edges 24 of those sheets, and spaced a predetermined distance rearwardly from the front edges 26 of those sheets. The spacing of the individual slots 22 from the front edge 26 of sheets A will vary depending upon the particular classification into which that particular sheet A falls. Thus, having reference to FIG. 2, the slot 22 in the lowermost sheet A in the right-hand column of sheets is relatively close to its front sheet edge 26, while the slot 22 in the sheet A 'thereabove is spaced from its front sheet edge 26 by a greater distance, and the slot 22 in the uppermost sheet A is spaced from its front sheet edge 26 by a still further distance. These three sheets A,- A, and A are therefore differently coded to correspond to different classifications, for example, X-rays of the lung, the kidney and the back. The sheet A shown at the left of FIG. 2 is provided with two slots 22 and 22' the slot 22 being located with respect to the front sheet edge 26 at a position corresponding to the slot 22 of the lowermost sheet A in the right hand column, the other 'slot 22 in the sheet A being located relative to the front sheet edge 26 corresponding to the slot 22 in the uppermost sheet A in the right hand column of FIG. 2. This type of coding would be used where the particular intelligence on sheet A fell into two categories, that corresponding to the category of the lowermost sheet A and that corresponding to the category of the uppermost sheet A,.

The side walls 4 and 6 of housing B, or at least one of them, is provided with a plurality of apertures 28, 28 and 28 which are spaced somewhat above the bottom housing wall 2 and which are spaced from the front by appropriate distances. The sorting element C is shown in the form of a movable rod 32, preferably having a tapered tip 34' and a head 36, which element C can be inserted into one or another of the pairs of apertures 28', 28", or 28' depending upon the particular classification to be selected. When thus inserted to an appropriate pair of apertures 28' it, too, will be spaced above the bottom housing wall 2, as in FIG. 4. In order that the nail-type element C of FIG. 5 should remain with the housing B, it may be secured thereto by means ofa line 38 attached at one end to the element C and at theother end to a fastener 40 on the side wall 4.

In use, the sorting element C is inserted intothe aperture or set of apertures 28 corresponding to the particular classification desired. The group of sheets A to be classified and sorted is then placed into the space 10 of the housing B with their front edges 26 abutting the front housing wall or stop 8. This may easily be accomplished simply by tipping the housing B downwardly and to the rightas viewed in the drawings. With the front sheet edges 26 of all of the sheets A thus being aligned with one another by virtue of their abutment against the front housing wall or stop 8, the slots 22 in housing wall or stop 8 by distances corresponding to the distances of the respective sheet slots 22, 22 22 22 and 22' from their respective sheet edges 26. The

sheet sorting element C is adapted to be received in a selected one of those apertures 28 and to extend across the interior space 10 of the housing B. In the form disclosed in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-4 the apertures 28 are in the form of slots extending downwardly from a communicating passage 30, the apertures 28 and communicating passages 30 being formed in registration in both of the side walls 4 and 6. The sorting element C is in the form of a rod or pin 32 designed to move freely along the communicating passage 30 and into each of the aperture slots 28, that element 32 having a head 34 on one end 'and on its other end a preferably adjustable head 36, which may be in the form of a winged nut threadedly received on the externally threaded tip of the pin 32. In this way the sorting element C is made captive within the housing B (but it can be removed therefrom when desired by unscrewing the winged nut head 36), and it may readily be moved from one aperture slot 28 to the next simply by a sliding operation. As may best be seen from FIG. 4, when the pin 32 is received within a given aperture slot 28, it is spaced appreciably above the bottom wall 2 of the housing B.

In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 5 the side walls 4 and 6 of the housing B are provided with apertures 28, 28' and 28' in oppositely registering pairs, those apertures being spaced above the bottom housing wall 2 and being spaced from the front housing wall 8 those sheets A falling within the category corresponding to the particular position of the sorting element C will register with that element, and therefore those particular sheets will, as shown in the left hand group of sheets in FIG. 4, move fully downwardly, the rod 32 being received within a slot 22, until the sheets in question are prevented from moving downwardly any further either by engagement of their bottom edges 24 with the bottom housingwall 2, as shown, or by engagement between the sorting rod 32 and the upper edges of the slots 22, or in any other appropriate manner. By way of contrast, those sheets which are not to be selected will have their slots 22 out of registration with the selector element C, and consequently those sheets (the right hand group of sheets in FIG. 4) will have their bottom edges 24 resting on the rod 32.'They will therefore be raised somewhat above the selected sheets and, which is most significant, there will beno slot-element interengagement insofar as those unselected sheets are concerned.

The unselected sheets can then readily be removed from the housing B in any appropriate manner. One way to' effect such removal, particularly when the top 14 of the housing B is open, is to grasp the raised sheets and pull them from the housing. However, an easier way to separate the unselected sheets from the selected sheets is simply to tip the housing B downwardly to the left as viewed in the drawings, so that the unselected sheets can slide or pour out through the'open rear end 12 of the housing B. The selected sheets willnot thus move because of the interengagement between the sorting element C and the slots 22 in those selected sheets. Thereafter the selected sheets can readily be removed from the housing by tipping the housing upside down, those sheets then falling freely out through the open housing top 14.

If, as is here specifically disclosed, the slots 22 extending up from the bottom sheet edges 24 are inclined forwardly and upwardly, the retention effect of the slotelement interengagement will be greatly intensified, with consequent enchanced accuracy of selection and segregation of the desired'sheets from the undesired sheets.

The housing B may readily be used for storage of the sheets A as well as for selection and classification thereof. If the dimensions of the side walls 4 and 6 are comparable to those of the sheets A, then the sheets A may be stored within the housing B while the cover 16 is placed on that housing, the cover thus preventing the sheets A from escaping either from the rear or the top of the housing by virtue of the cover walls 18 and 20 which completely or partially close those portions of the housing B. When selection and sorting is to take place, the cover 16 is removed and the housing can then be used as described above. After selection has taken place, all of the X-rays may then be restored to the interior of the housing B and the cover 16 may be reapplied. The length and height of the housing B may be sufficient so that sheets may be received therein with the cover 16 thereon even though some of those sheets are in raised position by virtue of their engagement with the sorting element C ina non-selecting fashion or, if desired, the internal dimensions of the housing B may more closely conform to the dimensions of the sheets A, in which case the sorting selector C would be removed before the housing is used for storage purposes. Of course, if desired, the films could be stored innorrnal fashion, with the housing B used only for selection and classification purposes.

An advantage of the system here disclosed is that the presence of the slots 22 in the sheets A, quite independently of their specific location relative to the front sheet edge 26, will positively identify a known edge of the X-ray sheet, and thus will ensure that the sheet will i always be viewed, even initially, in its proper orientation. In this connection it should be noted that designating a given edge of the sheets A as the bottom edge is purely arbitrary. The term bottom has been here used in that connection only because of the preferred orientation of the sheets A during the sorting and classifying operation, but even that orientation can be varied. In point of fact it is usually relatively easy to determined the top'from the bottom of an X-ray film merely by examining the image on the film, but itis by no means as simple to distinguish the right side of the film from the left side thereof. Consequently, from a film-orientation point of view, the so-called "bottom" edge 24 of the sheets A may, by convention, be the right-hand (or left-hand) edge of the film when the latter is in position to be viewed, that convention, if uniformly applied thus guiding the physician in rapidly and accurately orienting the film for examination.

Each sheet could contain slots corresponding to different types of classifications, such as classification as to the nature of the X-ray, classification as'to the date when the X-ray was taken, and classification as to the name or initial of the patient. Different areas along the length of the slotted sheet edge 24 could be reserved for different types of classification slots 22, with appropriate sets of openings 28 and sorting elements C being provided. Thus the system could function to select only those sheets which fall within a particular classification in any one system of classification or, if a plurality of sorting-elements C are simultaneously employed, only those sheets which meet a plurality of different classification requirements.

The coding slots 22 could be formed by any suitable punch mechanism, of a type which could be used in individual practitionersoffices at no appreciable expense, and which is equally adaptable for use in large establishments such as hospitals. The types of classification, and the corresponding locations'of the slots 22 and the openings 28, could be standardized, or an individual practitioner could create his own classification system in accordance with his own particular needs. The apparatus involved is sturdy and simple in the extreme, yet is exceptionally effective for its designed purposes.

While but a limited number of embodiments of the present invention have been here specifically disclosed, it will be apparent that many variations may be made therein,'all within the scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. In combination, a plurality of sheets having bottom edges and front edges, each of said sheets having an open-bottomed slot extending up from the bottom edge of said sheet, said slots on different sheets being respectively at predetermined locations differently spaced from the respective front edges of said sheets, and a sorter housing comprising side walls, a bottom wall and a front stop wall, said housing being open at its rear opposite from said front wall, at least one of said side walls having a plurality of openings located above said bottom wall and respectively differently spaced from said front wall to correspond to said plurality of different locations on said sheets, and an element received in a selected one of said openings and extending across the interior of said housing, the interior of said housing being of a width to receive a plurality of said sheets and a height sufficient to receive said sheets, support them laterally, and permit them to be elevated above said bottom wall by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said bottom wall and said openings, whereby said element will enter the slots in those sheets having slots located corresponding to the location of said element, thereby to retain those sheets.

in said housing through element-slot interengagement,

the other sheets being freely removable from said housing by virtue of the lack of element-slot interengagement.

2. The combination of claim is open at its top.

3. In the combination of claim 2, a cover removably receivable over the rear of said housing and closing said rear thereof.

4. In the combination of claim 2, a cover removably receivable over the rear of said housing and closing said rear thereof and at least partially closing said top thereof.

5. In the combination of claim 1, a cover removably receivable over the rear of said housing and closing said rear thereof.

6. In combination, a plurality of sheets having. bottom edges and front edges, each of said sheets having an open-bottomed slot extendingup from the bottom edge of said sheet, said slots on different sheets being respectively at predetermined locations differently spaced from the respective front edges of said sheets, and a sorter housing comprising side walls, a bottom wall and a front stop wall, said housing being open at its rear opposite front said front wall, at least one of said side walls having a plurality of openings located above said bottom wall and respectively differently spaced 1, in which said housing from said front wall to correspond to said plurality of different locations on said sheets, and an element received in a selected one of said openings and extending across the interior of said housing, the interior of said housing being of a width to receive a plurality of said sheets and a height sufficient to receive said sheets, support them laterally, and permit them to be elevated above said bottom wall by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said bottom wall and said openings, whereby said element will enter the slots in those sheets having slots located corresponding to the location of said element, thereby to retain those sheets in said housing through element-slot interengagement, the other sheets being freely removable from said housing by virtue of the lack of element-slot interengagetom edges and front edges, each of said sheets having an open-bottom slot extending up from the bottom ment, a cover removably receivable over the rear of said housing and closing said rear thereof, in which said openings are connected at their upper ends by a passage formed in said side wall, said element being captive in said openings and said passage.

7. The combination of claim 6, in which said housing is open at its top.

8. The combination of claim 7, in which said cover at least partially closes said top of said housing.

9. The combination of claim 7, in which said slots in said sheets are inclined upwardly toward said front edges of said sheets.

10. The combination of claim 8, in which said slots in said sheets are inclined upwardly toward said front edges of said sheets.

11. The combination of claim 6, in which said slots in said sheets are inclined upwardly toward said front edges of said sheets. g

12. In combination, a plurality of sheets having bottom edges and front edges, each of said sheets having an open-bottomed slot extending up from the bottom edge of said sheet, said slots on different sheets being respectively at predetermined locations differently spaced from the respective front edges of said sheets, and a sorter housing comprising side walls, a bottom wall and a front stop wall, at least one of said side walls having a plurality of openings located above said bottom wall and respectively differently spaced from said front wall to correspond to said pluralityof different 10- cations on said sheets, and an element received in a selected one of said openings and extending across the interior of said housing, the interior of said housing being of a width to receive a plurality of said sheets and a height sufficient to receive said sheets, support them laterally, and permit them to be elevated above said bottom wall by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said bottom wall and said openings, whereby said element will enter the slots in those sheets having slots located corresponding to the locations of said element, thereby to retain those sheets in said,

housing through element-slot interengagement, the other sheets being freely removable from said housing by virtue of the lack of element-slot interengagement, in which said openings are connected at their upper ends by a passage formed in said side wall, said element being captive in said openings and said passage.

13. The combination of claim 12, in which said slots in said sheets are inclined upwardly toward said front edge of said sheet, said slots on different sheets being respectively at predetermined locations differently spaced from the respective front edges of said sheets, and a sorter housing comprising side walls, a bottom wall and a front stop wall, at least one of said side walls having a plurality of openings located above said bottom wall and respectively differently spaced from said front wall to correspond to said plurality of different locations on said sheets, and an element received in a selected one of said openings and extending across the interior of said housing, the interior of said housing being of a width to receive a plurality of said sheets and a height sufficient to receive said sheets, support them laterally, and permit them to be elevated above said bottom wall by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said bottom wall and said openings, whereby said element will enter the slots in those sheets having slots located corresponding to the location of said element, thereby to retain those sheets in said housing through element-slot interengagement, the other sheets being freely removable from said housing by virtue of the lack of element-slot interengagement, in which said slots in said sheets are inclinedupwardly toward said front edges of said sheets.

15. In combination, a plurality of sheets having bottom edges and front edges, each of said sheets having an open-bottomed slot extending up from the bottom edge of said sheet, said slots on different sheets being respectively at predetermined locations differently spaced from the respective front edges of said sheets, and a sorter housing comprising side walls, a bottom wall and a front stop wall, said housing being open at its rear opposite from said front wall, at least one of said side walls having a plurality of openings located above said bottom wall and respectively differently spaced from said front wall to correspond to said plurality of different locations on said sheets, and an element received in a selected one of said openings and extending across theinterior of said housing, the interior of said housing being of a width to receive a plurality of said sheets and a height sufficient to receive said sheets, support them laterally, and permit them to be elevated above said bottom wall by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said bottom wall and said openings, where by said element will enter the slots in those sheets having slots located corresponding to the location of said element, thereby to retain those sheets in said housing through element-slot interengagement, the other sheets being freely removable from said housing by virtue of the lack of element-slot interengagement, a cover removably receivable over the rear of 

1. In combination, a plurality of sheets having bottom edges and front edges, each of said sheets having an open-bottomed slot extending up from the bottom edge of said sheet, said slots on different sheets being respectively at predetermined locations differently spaced from the respective front edges of said sheets, and a sorter housing comprising side walls, a bottom wall and a front stop wall, said housing being open at its rear opposite from said front wall, at least one of said side walls having a plurality of openings located above said bottom wall and respectively differently spaced from said front wall to correspond to said plurality of different locations on said sheets, and an element received in a selected one of said openings and extending across the interior of said housing, the interior of said housing being of a width to receive a plurality of said sheets and a height sufficient to receive said sheets, support them laterally, and permit them to be elevated above said bottom wall by a distance substantialLy equal to the distance between said bottom wall and said openings, whereby said element will enter the slots in those sheets having slots located corresponding to the location of said element, thereby to retain those sheets in said housing through element-slot interengagement, the other sheets being freely removable from said housing by virtue of the lack of element-slot interengagement.
 2. The combination of claim 1, in which said housing is open at its top.
 3. In the combination of claim 2, a cover removably receivable over the rear of said housing and closing said rear thereof.
 4. In the combination of claim 2, a cover removably receivable over the rear of said housing and closing said rear thereof and at least partially closing said top thereof.
 5. In the combination of claim 1, a cover removably receivable over the rear of said housing and closing said rear thereof.
 6. In combination, a plurality of sheets having bottom edges and front edges, each of said sheets having an open-bottomed slot extending up from the bottom edge of said sheet, said slots on different sheets being respectively at predetermined locations differently spaced from the respective front edges of said sheets, and a sorter housing comprising side walls, a bottom wall and a front stop wall, said housing being open at its rear opposite front said front wall, at least one of said side walls having a plurality of openings located above said bottom wall and respectively differently spaced from said front wall to correspond to said plurality of different locations on said sheets, and an element received in a selected one of said openings and extending across the interior of said housing, the interior of said housing being of a width to receive a plurality of said sheets and a height sufficient to receive said sheets, support them laterally, and permit them to be elevated above said bottom wall by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said bottom wall and said openings, whereby said element will enter the slots in those sheets having slots located corresponding to the location of said element, thereby to retain those sheets in said housing through element-slot interengagement, the other sheets being freely removable from said housing by virtue of the lack of element-slot interengagement, a cover removably receivable over the rear of said housing and closing said rear thereof, in which said openings are connected at their upper ends by a passage formed in said side wall, said element being captive in said openings and said passage.
 7. The combination of claim 6, in which said housing is open at its top.
 8. The combination of claim 7, in which said cover at least partially closes said top of said housing.
 9. The combination of claim 7, in which said slots in said sheets are inclined upwardly toward said front edges of said sheets.
 10. The combination of claim 8, in which said slots in said sheets are inclined upwardly toward said front edges of said sheets.
 11. The combination of claim 6, in which said slots in said sheets are inclined upwardly toward said front edges of said sheets.
 12. In combination, a plurality of sheets having bottom edges and front edges, each of said sheets having an open-bottomed slot extending up from the bottom edge of said sheet, said slots on different sheets being respectively at predetermined locations differently spaced from the respective front edges of said sheets, and a sorter housing comprising side walls, a bottom wall and a front stop wall, at least one of said side walls having a plurality of openings located above said bottom wall and respectively differently spaced from said front wall to correspond to said plurality of different locations on said sheets, and an element received in a selected one of said openings and extending across the interior of said housing, the interior of said housing being of a width to receive a plurality of said sheets and a height sufficient to receive said sheets, support them laterAlly, and permit them to be elevated above said bottom wall by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said bottom wall and said openings, whereby said element will enter the slots in those sheets having slots located corresponding to the locations of said element, thereby to retain those sheets in said housing through element-slot interengagement, the other sheets being freely removable from said housing by virtue of the lack of element-slot interengagement, in which said openings are connected at their upper ends by a passage formed in said side wall, said element being captive in said openings and said passage.
 13. The combination of claim 12, in which said slots in said sheets are inclined upwardly toward said front edges of said sheets.
 14. In combination, a plurality of sheets having bottom edges and front edges, each of said sheets having an open-bottom slot extending up from the bottom edge of said sheet, said slots on different sheets being respectively at predetermined locations differently spaced from the respective front edges of said sheets, and a sorter housing comprising side walls, a bottom wall and a front stop wall, at least one of said side walls having a plurality of openings located above said bottom wall and respectively differently spaced from said front wall to correspond to said plurality of different locations on said sheets, and an element received in a selected one of said openings and extending across the interior of said housing, the interior of said housing being of a width to receive a plurality of said sheets and a height sufficient to receive said sheets, support them laterally, and permit them to be elevated above said bottom wall by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said bottom wall and said openings, whereby said element will enter the slots in those sheets having slots located corresponding to the location of said element, thereby to retain those sheets in said housing through element-slot interengagement, the other sheets being freely removable from said housing by virtue of the lack of element-slot interengagement, in which said slots in said sheets are inclined upwardly toward said front edges of said sheets.
 15. In combination, a plurality of sheets having bottom edges and front edges, each of said sheets having an open-bottomed slot extending up from the bottom edge of said sheet, said slots on different sheets being respectively at predetermined locations differently spaced from the respective front edges of said sheets, and a sorter housing comprising side walls, a bottom wall and a front stop wall, said housing being open at its rear opposite from said front wall, at least one of said side walls having a plurality of openings located above said bottom wall and respectively differently spaced from said front wall to correspond to said plurality of different locations on said sheets, and an element received in a selected one of said openings and extending across the interior of said housing, the interior of said housing being of a width to receive a plurality of said sheets and a height sufficient to receive said sheets, support them laterally, and permit them to be elevated above said bottom wall by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said bottom wall and said openings, where by said element will enter the slots in those sheets having slots located corresponding to the location of said element, thereby to retain those sheets in said housing through element-slot interengagement, the other sheets being freely removable from said housing by virtue of the lack of element-slot interengagement, a cover removably receivable over the rear of said housing and closing said rear thereof, said slots in said sheets being inclined upwardly toward said front edges of said sheets.
 16. The combination of claim 15, in which said housing is open at its top.
 17. The combination of claim 16, in which said cover at least partially closes said open top of said housing. 